It is known to employ equipment comprising a rotor supporting pendulous tubes.
Such centrifugation equipment makes possible implementation of one of the steps of the analysis.
Numerous handling steps are required for adding the reagents, for collection or washing, and for recovering the samples.
Also known is U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,047 pertaining to centrifugation equipment for separation of the supernatant and the residue of a biological sample.
The rocking movement of the tubes is imposed by the centrifugal force and a mechanism prevents return to the vertical position.
European patent EP 740,964 pertains to another type of centrifugation equipment in which a blocking means prevents the containers from returning to their position of equilibrium.
The American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,602 pertains to a type of centrifugation equipment in which the containers are maintained in the position acquired under the influence of the centrifugal force.
Patent WO 99/21,658 pertains to centrifugation equipment in which a mechanical means opposes the rocking movement under the effect of the centrifugal force.
Other patents, such as EP 838,265 and EP 106,398, describe centrifugation solutions.